The UT Southwestern Physician Scientist Oncology Training Program will provide fellows and residents who have finished their clinical training in oncology the opportunity and protected time to develop the technical and Intellectual skills for a successful laboratory based oncology research program. The program will accomplish this by providing highly Individualized mentorship, the opportunity to train in the research laboratories of one of our internationally renowned faculty and up to three years of stipend support during the years of their research training. Specifically, the goals of the program are to support physicians who have finished their subspecialty clinical training in oncology and train them in lab-based translational oncology research, by providing (a) training in the laboratory skills necessary to investigate the pathogenesis and biology of cancer, (b) a rigorous mentoring and didactic program in the biology of cancer, biostatistics, ethics, and regulatory issues, (c) and training in the investigation of basic cancer questions which are clinically relevant, and in the translation of clinical observations into hypothesis based laboratory questions. Trainees will be mentored primarily by scientists who participate in one of the five programs in the Cancer Center, but will also have secondary, clinical research resource faculty mentors to ensure that the trainee develops the clinical skills and expertise necessary to succeed in a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of clinically relevant cancer questions. Unique opportunities of the program include the outstanding faculty of Cancer Biology Training Program for pre-and post doctoral PhDs within the Graduate School of Biological Sciences, a Specialized Program of Research Excellence in Lung Cancer, and a Program Project Grant on the Concerted Chemical, Biophysical and Molecular Biological Attack of Intracellular Pathways Relevant to Human Cancer. 20 laboratory mentors representing 15 different Departments and Centers are committed to this program, as are 11 clinical resource mentors. A Steering Committee consisting of 7 senior physician and scientist leaders in the Cancer Center will provide oversight and direction, and administrative support will be provided by the Cancer Center. RELEVANCE: The goal of this program is to produce top-quality physician scientists who are committed to an academic career in patient-related basic and/or translational oncology research.